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Waffle Daily

Daily Waffle #73 answers and hints

Need a nudge on the Tuesday, May 12, 2026 grid? Start with one clue. Nothing else shows until you tap it.

The starting grid for #73

6 words hide in this 5×5 grid. You get 15 swaps, and the best solve takes 10.

Want one more try first? Play #73.

Hints for each word in #73

Tap one hint at a time. The clue comes first. Then you get the first and last letters. The word shows only when you tap the last button.

  1. Word 1: the top row (row 1)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a structure in a hollow organ (like the heart) with a flap to insure one-way flow of fluid through it

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with V and ends with E.

    Show the word

    VALVE

  2. Word 2: the middle row (row 3)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with P and ends with O.

    Show the word

    PIANO

  3. Word 3: the bottom row (row 5)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a roll of hair brushed back from the forehead

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with R and ends with H.

    Show the word

    ROACH

  4. Word 4: the left column (column 1)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with V and ends with R.

    Show the word

    VAPOR

  5. Word 5: the middle column (column 3)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: wild or domesticated South American cud-chewing animal related to camels but smaller and lacking a hump

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with L and ends with A.

    Show the word

    LLAMA

  6. Word 6: the right column (column 5)

    Hint 1: the clue

    noun: a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event

    Hint 2: first and last letter

    It starts with E and ends with H.

    Show the word

    EPOCH

What is the answer to Waffle #73?

The answer is 6 words that fit together in one grid. Tap below to see all of them. This puzzle has only one answer, so if your words differ, a letter is still in the wrong place.

Show the full answer grid

Across: VALVE, PIANO, ROACH

Down: VAPOR, LLAMA, EPOCH

How do you solve #73 in 10 swaps?

Make the swaps that fix two tiles at once first. This grid has 5 of them. The list below is one shortest route from the start to the answer.

Show every swap
  1. Swap row 1, column 2 with row 5, column 2. This puts A and O in place.
  2. Swap row 1, column 3 with row 2, column 1. This puts L and A in place.
  3. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 3, column 1. This puts P in place.
  4. Swap row 1, column 4 with row 3, column 5. This puts V and O in place.
  5. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 4, column 3. This puts M in place.
  6. Swap row 1, column 5 with row 5, column 1. This puts E and R in place.
  7. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 3, column 3. This puts A in place.
  8. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 3, column 2. This puts I in place.
  9. Swap row 2, column 3 with row 4, column 1. This puts L in place.
  10. Swap row 4, column 1 with row 4, column 5. This puts O and C in place.

What do the words in #73 mean?

VALVE
noun: a structure in a hollow organ (like the heart) with a flap to insure one-way flow of fluid through it
PIANO
noun: a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
ROACH
noun: a roll of hair brushed back from the forehead
VAPOR
noun: a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance
LLAMA
noun: wild or domesticated South American cud-chewing animal related to camels but smaller and lacking a hump
EPOCH
noun: a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event

Word meanings come from WordNet 3.1, a free English dictionary from Princeton University. Puzzle published Tuesday, May 12, 2026.